Agencies
Five militants including top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Saddam Padder and an assistant professor from Kashmir University, who went missing since last Friday were killed in an encounter in Shopian district in south Kashmir.
The militants killed were identified as Saddam Padder, who was part of Burhan Wani’s core group and active for over four years now and Tauseef Sheikh, who was also active for over five years now. The assistant professor from Kashmir University’s sociology department, Dr Muhammad Rafi Bhat, who went missing two days back after Friday prayers from the campus in Srinagar, was accompanying the militants and is thought to have joined the ranks and was meeting Padder. He was working on contract basis at the campus. Hours before he went missing he had posted a picture of urdu poem, his students had written in his regard and also a wrist watch they gifted him. The two other militants were identified as Moulvi Bilal and Adil Thokar, also well known in south Kashmir. J&K police chief S P Vaid, confirmed the killing of five militants, but they are are yet to confirm the final identity of the militants.
The killing of Bhat, a resident of Ganderbal, is set to create ripples in Srinagar especially in student community, which has been protesting frequently over the killings for past two months now. Kashmir University, fearing protests over killing of Bhat, has decided to suspend classwork on May 7 and 8 and also postponed all the examinations. J&K police had also transported the family of Bhat from Ganderbal in north Kashmir to the encounter spot in south Kashmir, to persuade them for surrender, but to no avail.
|
